These Small Hours
by Glory Alchemist
Summary: Just some happy/silly moments between Fib, Shades, Edi, and the rest of the gang. Reading "The New Guy" and "The Beauty and the Tragedy" first will make this make more sense.


**These stories will make much more sense if you read "The New Guy" and "The Beauty and the Tragedy" first. This is a song fic with a bunch of happy/silly moments between my OCs, because I think they deserve it after what I put them through. I would definately suggest listening to the song while you read.**

**I do not own Star Wars.**

* * *

><p><em>Let it go,<br>Let it roll right off your shoulder  
>Don't you know<br>The hardest part is over  
>Let it in,<br>Let your clarity define you  
>In the end<br>We will only just remember how it feels_

Thorn had never seen anyone kiss before. It looked pretty messy and rather unhygienic, but Sergeant Larbec and Sergeant Reidia were going at it with great enthusiasm, so there must be something to it. The young clone slipped out of Tipoca City's data center and returned to his bunk room, thinking about what he'd accidently seen. He doubted the two training sergeants would have been doing that if they'd known he was there. Thorn scratched his short black hair absently, trying to relieve the itch that always hung around for days after a haircut.

_I wonder what kissing feels like. It must be good, or they wouldn't be doing it._

The door in front of him slid open to reveal a mostly empty bunk room. It was the hour meal break, and most of Thorn's brothers were in the mess hall. Seven-year-old clones had big appetites. Thorn himself had already eaten and didn't feel like hanging around when he had work to do, which was how he'd stumbled upon two of his sergeants apparently attempting to eat each other in the far reaches of the data center. The only other clone in the bunk room now was Shmolt, Thorn's best friend. The boy was stretched out on his bed, fast asleep with a pile of data pads resting on his stomach.

Thorn smiled a little. Only Shmolt would forego food for studying. He sat gently on the edge of the bed, intending to wake his brother, but instead found himself staring at his partially open mouth.

_Kissing looks like it might feel good, and it's obviously something that you do with people you're friendly with. Sergeants Larbec and Reidia are good friends. Larbec is always telling Reidia how nice she looks, and she's always touching him whenever she can. Shmolt and I are friends. Why not? _

It never occurred to Thorn that there was anything wrong with kissing his brother. If his training sergeants did it, and they were obviously friends, then he could kiss Shmolt. He was his best friend, after all.

The other boy's mouth was warm, his lips slightly dry. The sergeants had been moving around a lot when they kissed, but he didn't feel comfortable with that, so he just kept his mouth still. Nothing much was happening. If this was all there was to kissing, then Thorn really didn't see why anyone would bother when you could wrestle and have pillow fights instead. Then Shmolt's eyes opened. The other clone gave a muffled shriek and shoved Torn away before running from the room like he thought his brother might follow and try to eat him again.

Sitting on the floor, backside smarting, Thorn made a face. That wasn't nearly as enjoyable as the sergeants had made it seem. He heaved himself up with a sigh. _I think I owe Shmolt an apology._

It took two days and the offer of half his meals for the next week before his stiff-backed friend would agree to speak to him again.

_Our lives are made  
>In these small hours<br>These little wonders,  
>These twists &amp; turns of fate<br>Time falls away,  
>But these small hours,<br>These small hours still remain_

There were no words to describe it. Gleaming, glowing, glittering, they all seemed so inadequate. None of them even came close to describing what Fib was seeing before him.

"Radiant," whispered an awed voice, and for a second Fib wasn't sure if it was aloud or in his own head, because his thoughts often spoke in that voice. Grayson's shoulder nudged him lightly. "It's beautiful." Fib could only nod.

The two clones fell into step with their brothers as they left the transport shuttle and walked towards the huge barracks block that awaited them. Coruscant. They were on Coruscant, the capital of the Republic. Fib couldn't get over the awe he felt, the terrified delight. Yet, at the same time, he felt overwhelmed be the sheer volume of newness. There were things he'd seen on his ride from the space port that he simply didn't have names for, and it left him floundering. Fib's face creased into a scowl. He didn't like feeling uneasy, about anything. He was used to knowing, to _understanding_, and all this strangeness left him feeling inadequate. He hated that.

The bunk room was small and sparse, but certainly more luxurious than anything the clones had on Kamino. The others knew when Fib was in one of his moods and left him to himself. He'd just dropped his large bulky pack on his assigned bunk when he was seized by the collar of his fatigues and yanked unceremoniously around and over to the room's one open window. Fib was shoved so hard against the sill that the breath was knocked from his lungs.

"Was' wrong…with you?" he wheezed, trying to turn away from the window. Two impatient hands grabbed his head and turned it back to look. "What're you doing? Get off."

Grayson snorted behind him. "Stop being such a baby and just look, would you?" His voice was almost breathless with suppressed excitement. Fib finally paid attention to what was in front of him. A large rectangular expanse of grass that stretched from below his window to the administration buildings on the other side. The vegetation was a color that Fib had never seen before in real life, and it took him a second to remember its name: green. He was looking at the barracks' parade ground.

Another abrupt jerk and Grayson was dragging him from the bunkroom and out into the open air. Before Fib could protest all this abrupt movement, he'd been shoved face first into the grass. It was softer than he'd expected and had an odd smell that made his nostrils tingle. Then Grayson was dropping down on his back, laughing, and Fib couldn't bring himself to be angry.

_Let it slide,  
>Let your troubles fall behind you<br>Let it shine  
>Until you feel it all around you<br>And I don't mind  
>If it's me you need to turn to<br>We'll get by,  
>It's the heart that really matters in the end<em>

"Today, I will stand avenged."

An eyebrow quirked in irritation. "Do we have to do this?"

"_Yes_," was the growled response.

Shoulders heaved in an annoyed sigh as both men sunk into ready stances, virtual paddles clutched in their hands. A considerable crowd had gathered to watch the long anticipated Rematch. Thorn and Edi's voices were audible over the friendly chatter, making playful bets with each other, while Shmolt insisted that betting was against regulations.

Shades twirled his paddle impressively in one hand. "Prepare to meet your Maker," he intoned solemnly, even as his lips pulled back in an excited grin as he regarded his brother from across the ping pong table.

There was an answering gleam in Fib's eyes. "We'll see about that." He raised the ball and made his serve.

_Our lives are made  
>In these small hours<br>These little wonders,  
>These twists &amp; turns of fate<br>Time falls away,  
>But these small hours,<br>These small hours still remain_

The young clone stood stiff-backed, at perfect attention, face completely unreadable. Not to Captain Thorn, of course. He caught the minute shifts as the young man's eyes darted back and forth between his superiors, trying to detect where the attack would come from.

_Still so twitchy. But he's come a long way since he was dumped in my lap eight months ago._

Thorn glanced over his shoulder at General Nyine, and the Jedi gave just the slightest nod of her head. Her dark blue eyes shown with gentle amusement. _Let's stop tormenting him_, that look said.

With a grunt of agreement, Thorn turned back to face the agitated young trooper. "Shades." The boy jumped slightly, somehow managing to look both embarrassed and defiant at the same time. "Your recent actions on the planet Sevarcos have been brought to my attention. This, coupled with the reports I've received from your peers, has convinced me that action must be taken. General Nyine is in agreement." Thorn could well imagine Edi struggling to suppress laughter at his mock severe tone, but of course Shades wouldn't know that. The boy looked like he'd just seen a rancor armed with a rotary blaster charging at him. _Oh, he's going to hate me for this. Once he gets over the shock._

Thorn continued. "Knowing that, it is my pleasure to inform you that you're being promoted to the rank of sergeant."

The look of shock came and went quickly, followed by confusion, and finally, realization. Shades looked dangerously close to tears as he tilted his chin up slightly and stood a little taller. "_Thank you_, sir. I swear, I'll make you proud."

Warmth swelled in Thorn's chest. He reached out and gripped the young man's shoulder. "I know you will, son. I know you will."

_All of my regret  
>Will wash away somehow<br>But I cannot forget  
>The way I feel right now<em>

"You know, on second thought, I really don't feel comfortable with this."

"You're already committed, soldier. It's too late to back out now."

Shades barely managed to suppress a cringe at those fatalistic words. But Edi was right; he was committed. No turning back.

The clone sergeant listened with trepidation to the sounds of movement behind him. How had he gotten himself into this situation? He honestly didn't know. A harmless session of Truth or Dare with his friends had somehow landed him in this predicament. _Note to self: never take Fib's dares. Ever._

"Here we go." Edi's voice sounded from behind him, followed a moment later by the electronic buzz of a razor. Shades held himself rigid as the razor started moving through his hair, but the warm touch of a calloused hand on the back of his neck relaxed him. Edi had always been good at calming him down when unease or the red haze of battle madness threatened to drown him. He could always count on her to watch his back, one of the many reasons he loved her. But that didn't mean he trusted her to cut his hair.

It was rather ironic, really. Those hands that wielded a lightsaber with such grace couldn't seem to keep their grip on a simple razor. Shades stared in shock at his "haircut." It looked like an angry weedwacker had tried to eat his head. He glanced up and caught Edi's sheepish grin in the mirror.

"I guess you'll be wearing your hair a little shorter than usual, Sergeant."

_In these small hours  
>These little wonders<br>These twists & turns of fate  
>These twists &amp; turns of fate<br>Time falls away but these small hours  
>These small hours, still remain,<br>Still remain  
>These little wonders<br>These twists & turns of fate  
>Time falls away<br>But these small hours  
>These little wonders still remain<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Please review.<strong>

**mad'ika**


End file.
